


shaky hands

by the14thmusician



Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: M/M, do not repost without permission
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-10 19:15:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20856878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the14thmusician/pseuds/the14thmusician
Summary: The fire when he strikes the match is mesmerizing; and though it’s not the same color, he hears it calling. Spark. Ignite. Burn. He holds the match up to the palms of his hands, stopping only when he’s satisfied with the heat in that one small part of his body.





	shaky hands

He’d gotten used to the noises of Promepolis. 

Sure, he couldn’t sleep for the first week; it was so different from the outskirts of the city near the volcano. Though the burnish settlement wasn’t at all quiet. The younger ones would play in hushed whispers; muffled shouts of glee. It wasn’t like the sounds of a drill or sirens.

The construction never stopped once they’d organized the whole incident. The first two months had been brutal. Between reintegrating the burnish into society and making sure they had food and shelter, Lio was running ragged. He’d taken it upon himself to be an ambassador for the former burnish. He took to explaining how the actions of Mad Burnish didn’t represent all the burnish, how the promare compelled them to burn things. How the neverending whispers of _spark, ignite, burn, consume_; plagued them all.

He missed it. Having a purpose. 

It may have been _burning_ and causing _chaos_, but it was a purpose nonetheless. 

He couldn’t say the same for six months after the dust had settled. He was still sleeping on Galo’s couch, December rolling around so Galo had piled all his blankets over his shivering form after he’d walked out for a glass of water. 

Lio was still cold the next morning.

He’d taken to wearing Galo’s Burning Rescue jacket, shoving his shaking hands into the large pockets so no one questioned it.

They hid the burns as well, so that was a plus.

He knows he shouldn’t be doing it. 

The fire when he strikes the match is mesmerizing; and though it’s not the same color, he hears it calling. _Spark. Ignite. Burn._ He holds the match up to the palms of his hands, stopping only when he’s satisfied with the heat in that one small part of his body. 

He’d gradually gone up his arms. He stole one of Galo’s lighters and started doing his torso. Within two more months he was covered in second degree burns. He plastered that tiny smile on his face though. Whenever Galo picked him up on a hug, laughing about whatever he’d just said, Lio relished in the burning pain that followed.

It all stopped when he was out with Meis and Gueira. Or rather, he was found out.

He was once again wearing Galo’s jacket. It wasn't too cold of a February afternoon but his fingertips were trembling uncontrollably.

“Yo, boss,” He dug his fingers into the new burns on his palms. They still called him _boss_ as if he was someone important. “You okay?” 

“Fine, Gueira, why do you ask?” 

“Your shoulders are shaking.”

Lio froze. He tried to; his shoulders were still shaking. Suddenly he felt his chest start trembling. 

“I’m fine,” he assured them with a graceful smile. The ex-arsonist scowled. 

“Come on, boss,” He jabbed his side lightly and Lio bit back a gasp. “What’s wrong? You cold? Want to go get something warm to drink?” Lio shook his head. 

“Gueira,” Meis said cautiously, eyes on the trembling fabric. The other rolled his eyes and suddenly pulled on his arm.

He couldn’t help the painful hiss that escaped his lips.

The former burnish let go of him as if the touch burned.

“What’s wrong? Did you hurt your arm?” 

“Some anti-burnish folks got a bit handsy,” It wasn’t a complete lie. Protestors didn’t really like him very much.

“What? Why weren't you with someone? Was it on a protest day? You know it’s not safe to go out-“

“Gueira,” The tallest of the three said. “Stop,” Then he turned to Lio who was still engulfed by the jacket, looking down at his boots. “Lio,” He flinched at the use of his name. “You aren’t a good liar.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Why wasn’t Galo with you? You’re practically inseparable. Does he know? How hurt are you?” He pulled Lio’s arm to look. 

Lio was stupid. He should’ve worn his gloves. Hell, he never went without them. He’d overslept though, having fallen asleep late after finishing up some petitions for burnish funding. (They needed all the help they could get. Burning Rescue would submit the petitions; if they saw it was the leader of Mad Burnish who had written them they may be tempted to throw it out.) 

He felt eyes look over his hand hand, and when his arm shifted and he hissed Gueira made to pull up his sleeve. The second he felt cold air on his wrist he wrenched his arm away. 

“Boss,” Meis said in a fragile tone. “Let me see.”

“I’m not your boss,” Lio’s eyes stung. “Not anymore. You don’t have to worry about me, I’m fine.” 

“Did they burn you?” Gueira asked dangerously. 

“No!” He just wanted this conversation to stop. “They didn’t-“

“Then who did? D-did Galo do this?” He asked in disbelief. 

“Of course not! Are you hearing yourself?” His voice was shaky though. When he noticed Meis raised an eyebrow at him he knew he was done. “Galo didn’t do this to me.” Meis slowly lifted his arm and pushed the sleeves back and for some reason his vision blurred with tears. 

“So the protestors did it? Tell me when it happened. We can open an investigation there are anti discriminatory laws being set you can’t let the-“

“Do you really think they got Lio to stand still while they burned him in perfectly spread out marks?”

He watched Guiera process the sentence for a minute before he looked back at Lio’s, now covered, arm. 

“They must have held him down. Right? Boss wouldn’t - he wouldn't do that. You wouldn’t burn yourself. Righ-” He didn’t finish as he looked down at Lio’s trembling fingers. “Lio, you didn’t.”

He shook his head and took a step back, away from them. He took another, then another before he turned and broke into a sprint. 

He heard the Mad Burnish members calling his name and for a moment he knew they ran after than but he was always so much faster than they were.

He lost them in the middle of a construction sight, hidden beneath steel beams and _Do Not Enter_ signs. 

Lio sagged against a wall, falling to the ground. He ignored the phone ringing, with that dumb ringtone Galo had put for his number back when he’d handed Lio the phone, and buried his head into his crossed arms, knees up against his chest. By the time the sun went down he was shaking uncontrollably and he couldn’t tell if it was from the cold he felt outside or the ice he felt inside. 

“Lio!” He heard someone call out from where he was curled up and he jolted, head snapping up. In front of him was Meis, crouching with a concerned look. “Lio!” He heard again, father away. 

“Galo is looking for you.”

Lio looked up at him, still shaking. 

“I won’t tell him. I wouldn’t do that to you but you know I can’t just sit by while you’re hurting.” Lio nodded. “Good. Gueira is upset but I calmed him down. We’re all just worried about you,” He put a warm hand on his shoulder. “Aina said she was suspicious of what you’ve been doing. They aren’t all as dense as Galo,” Pink-orange eyes glared at him. “Though he’s strangely insightful when it comes to you. I’m surprised he hasn’t noticed.”

“I’ve been avoiding him,” Lio admitted, standing to his feet and leaning onto Meis when he stumbled. “I didn’t want him to see,” He looked down as he made it out of his hiding place. He only walked for a few feet before he was lifted off the ground in a tight hug.

“Lio, where have you been? We were waiting for you for pizza and then Meis and Gueira said you just disappeared,” He was put on the ground and turned to see Galo pouting down at him. Warm hands cupped his cheeks and the firefighter’s pout intensified. “Jeez, Lio, you’re freezing.” 

“Hey boss,” He looked over to see Guiera watch with amusement clear on his face. “Galo, I think he needs a break.”

“A break?” Galo’s arms wound around him like they always seemed to whenever they were together. 

“Yes,” Lio leaned back into the warmth. “I think I need a break,” He struggled to find the words for it as Galo’s arms tightened just a bit. "I’m _struggling_,” He leaned his head on Galo’s chest to look up at him. “I’m sorry.”

Galo frowned at him. “Why didn’t you tell me, fireball? I asked for a few days off anyways.”

Lio shrugged against him, looking back up to Meis and Gueira only to find that they were gone.

_Figures._

“Let’s go home, Lio.” Galo said with a smile and held out a hand. Lio didn’t think as he grabbed it and interlaced their fingers. Teal met with pink and the ex-terrorist blushed.

He hadn't realized it until they were halfway home, in the middle of Galo summarizing some show he was watching on and off; his hands weren’t shaking anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I hope you enjoyed, feel free to leave any feedback or comment as it helps me with my writing!


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